190

   6. Other recently published papers are:—

4. MATERNITY HOMES OF BOMBAY.

   The following note on the Maternity Homes of Bombay, which more
than any other province has adopted an institutional policy, has been
communicated by Dr. Sir Mangaldas V. Mehta, O.B.E., F.R.C.P.(I.),
F.C.P.S., F.C.O.G., Principal Medical Officer, The Nowrosjee Wadia
Maternity Hospital, Bombay.

   "The position today is that in the City of Bombay there are 14 public
and free institutions with 486 beds, and 8 private semi-charity institutions
with 155 beds, while paying nursing homes are 61 in number with 667
beds. The total number of maternity institutions both public, private
charity with free beds, and nursing homes come to 83 with 1,308 beds.
The total number of births registered during the year 1937 was 37,795;
out of these 27,758 were delivered in maternity institutions in the City
during 1937, i.e., a percentage of 73.4 women confining in maternity
institutions out of the total birth rate of the City. I attach herewith
a comparative statement since 1929 to 1937 of the total birth rate, the
number of confinements in institutions and the percentage in Bombay
City.

   "It will thus be clearly seen to what extent institutional maternity
service is organised and how it has reduced both infant and maternal
mortality in Bombay City.

   "The dais are practically wiped out in the City, but their great strong-
hold is in the rural areas. There are several other factors in favour of
institutional maternity service in the City of Bombay, viz., one tenement
rooms, poverty, unhealthy surroundings, breaking up of joint family
system chiefly amongst the middle class Hindus and last but not least
women having more faith in hospital treatment particularly the antenatal
care of expectant mothers in the antenatal clinics attached practically to
every maternity hospital or home.

   "The Bombay Nursing Council has in this connection given a great
impetus to the establishment of more maternity institutions in the urban
and rural areas and insisted upon every maternity institution seeking
recognition to have antenatal clinics attached to it.

   "As regards the rural areas, as long as there is no adequate supply
of trained midwives, inadequate funds, apathy of the District Munici-
palities and District Local Boards, great illiteracy amongst people with
their time-worn prejudices and superstitions and last but not least the
indigenous dais having a strong influence on the ignorant women, I am